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December 09, 2004
Tech Challenged
My son called last night***, and he & my daughter were so proud of me because I managed to use 3-way calling to include my daughter on his call without accidentally disconnecting anyone. Hell, I hardly ever use the phone let alone any of its special features. So it's understandable that I don't know how to use it very well.
And I try to keep that in mind when dealing with my parents, who are postively hopeless with any new technology. A few examples: my mother disconnected the VCR we'd gotten them from the tv during an electrical storm, and now they can't get it reconnected. Now I know VCR setup can be tricky, but this is the simplest model we could find. It only has one cable running to the tv; the tv only has one connector that will fit the VCR cable. But they still can't get it reconnected & working.
Mike & I bought them a satellite clock for Christmas last year, and Mike set it up for them before we went home. All they had to do was to mount the wireless temperature gauge thingy outside. We found out a few months ago that they never got it to work either.
Now, for some reason I don't understand, my mother is convinced that my cell phone is connected to my computer, and if I'm using my computer she can't call my cell phone. No matter how many million times I've told her that our computers have nothing to do with my cell phone I still have conversations like the one yesterday morning.
My mom: "I tried to call you earlier but I got your computer and it said it was too busy for my call so I figured you were working on your school work."
Me: ??? (Thinking WTF is she talking about?)
After some patient questioning, I figured out that she got a recording from the cell phone company which told her that all their circuits were busy. I try to explain this, but she just doesn't get it. Even after I tell her that it works just like a busy signal on a regular phone. Finally, exasperated, I tell her "Mother, my cell phone HAS NOTHING TO DO with my computer. I can use my computer & talk on my cell phone AT THE SAME TIME. I DO IT ALL THE TIME."
Her response? "Oh. Well I just thought you were busy doing your schoolwork on your computer and ....."
*sigh*
I gave up at that point.
And Mike wanted to fix up a computer for them for their Christmas present last year. Nothing fancy, just something they could use to e-mail my kids. No I said. Not just no, but hell no.
I shudder to think about the tech support calls we would've gotten from them.
"This computer doesn't have an 'Any' key. What's wrong with it? Why didn't you get us one that had an 'Any' key? Do those cost a lot more?"
Sheesh.
***he was calling to tell me that he would be arriving here on the 16th for 30 days leave. So Yay! A Very Merry Christmas is in store this year.
Posted by Rita at December 9, 2004 08:42 AM
Comments
Yay! for the visit.
I can tell I'm getting older, because I'm starting to look fondly at radios that have two knobs and nothing else.
Posted by: Keith at December 9, 2004 04:06 PM
Yeah, we're pretty excited about the visit too. Though I had to run out yesterday and get his birthday present since he'll actually be here for it this year.
I have an old radio (with tubes & everything) that was my grandmother's. I've been wanting to see if it still works, but I'm afraid to turn it on. I'd be heartbroken if it burst into flames.
Posted by: rita at December 9, 2004 05:31 PM
When my dad was alive, he was so techno-deficient that he could barely use the phone, and he would often talk to recorded messages as if he were talking to a real person. I feel your pain.
Posted by: Jim - PRS at December 9, 2004 07:02 PM
I never thought my mother would be all that much of a technophobe but I got her a computer a couple of years ago. You should have seen her trying to learn to use the mouse. She would hold it with her fingertips, almost like she was afraid to touch it - like you would if you were going to pick up something you thought was hot - and she would try to keep it in the exact same place on the mousepad and turn it like you would turn the knob on an old radio or TV set. I actually held her hand on the mouse to show her how to move it but as soon as I took my hand away she would go back to doing the same thing.
Posted by: Lynn S at December 9, 2004 09:20 PM
I guess I'm the lucky one here - my folks like technology (my mom has a laptop, cell phone and PDA - AND knows how to use them - ditto for Dad).
Maybe it's because both of them were engineers in their prior life.
Posted by: bogie at December 10, 2004 03:40 AM
Holy Moley, I thought you were writing about my Mom!
This is the same woman who has a TV and VCR in every room so she won't miss a program but will leave every one of them blinking 12:00 until someone shows up to reset them every time the power goes out.
Posted by: Randy at December 12, 2004 06:35 PM